Hellenic Bank Association

The Hellenic Bank Association is asking for changes to the bill on the extrajudicial settlement of debts to lenders, warning it could turn into a refuge for strategic defaulters.

Bank officials note that unless some modifications are made the new mechanism will torpedo the effort to reduce nonperforming loans, which would have dramatic consequences on the banks' capital base.

The nonperforming loans of major companies that have entered the Hellenic Bank Association's NPL Management Forum exceed 6 billion euros. The forum aims to improve coordination among banks and find common solutions. The HBA is now considering a similar initiative to tackle the problematic loans of small and medium-sized enterprises too.

The Hellenic Bank Association (HBA) on Tuesday presented the head of the European Stability Mechanism, Klaus Regling, with figures showing the improvement in the fundamentals of the local credit system in 2016 while informing him of the challenges it now faces, particularly as regards liquidity and the efficient management of nonperforming loans.

Lenders are upgrading the role of the Hellenic Bank Association (HBA), with the aim of turning it into an active voice that will intervene dynamically in issues concerning not only the credit sector but also the economy in general.

President of Hellenic Bank Association and National Bank Luca Katselli ruled out the possibility of a deposits haircut and a new banks recapitalization.

“Greek systemic banks just came out from a successful recapitalization process … and offer a very strong capital base,” she reassured on Sunday in an interview with Kathimerini newspaper.

“Those who are cooperative borrowers and it is objectively impossible for them to pay off their loans should not be afraid of the auctioning of their primary residence,” the president of Hellenic Bank Association and National Bank governor Louka Katseli  answered to a clarifying question of Athens News Agency on the code of conduct of the Bank of Greece.

The president of Hellenic Bank Association and National Bank governor Louka Katseli in an interview with Handelsblatt estimated that the capital needs of the Greek banks are limited.

“My personal view is that banks will not need the entire 25 billion euros”, Katseli said.

The president of Hellenic Bank Association and National Bank governor Louka Katseli in a meeting with the National Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (ESEE) said she is in favour of second business opportunities and the settlement of bad loans.

She also added that capital controls will be lifted early 2016.

President of the Hellenic Bank Association and National Bank Governor Louka Katseli said that capital controls will probably be lifted from banks at the end of 2015 or early 2016. She stressed the importance of money returning to banks after the 118 billion euros taken out from 2008 through to 2015.

The Hellenic Bank Association (HBA) issued guidelines for capital controls in Greece. Here are 10 banking facts that borrowers should bear in mind: